To people who multi-table.. one word HOW??? lol

I jut can't seem to do it, when I play poker I like to pick up on everything, what people do on the flop/t etc peoples bet sizing etc. When they be bluffing, do they cbet etc

I just can't seem to do it? Maybe its because I pay too much attention into the little things that a hud does for you? I dunno. I just find myself with even 2 tables getting too much for me.

I suck at multi tasking in general so maybe thats it??

Sucks cause in order to make a decent profit, even at the chance of perhaps one day making a living off poker you have to multi table right? I find myself a winning player at micros so its not like I'm jumping ahead of myself.

I know the hud can help alot and perhap thats where I'm going wrong, despite having it run, am I really utilising it?? VP/PR doesn't really say too much you need more than that? What key stats of the hud should I pay attention to to avoid my brain being overloaded my trying to take in too much info when the hud can lighten the load

By paying attention basically. Though generally you try and keep your actions as simple as possible and avoid getting into complex spots.

im with ya eclipsen. I am very impressed with people who can play so many tables, two tables and i feel like im speeding from one board to another and really dont pick up on much and usually if i have a hand the other table seems to get a hand so then i really gdet frazzled

Yeah but I find I have trouble paying attention on 2 tables, maybe it might come with practice? But for example if one big pot is happening on one table all my attention is on that.. find myself timing out on another or just about is a regular occurence.

It's definitely not for everyone. Try just moving to 2 tables for a while - then add 1 at a time as you get comfortable at each level.

Haha dakota it might not be for everyone but surely I am in the minority

Hmmm won't do it yet, maybe next week or so as I am in-between jobs but been grinding the 45mans for 2 weeks with a decent ROI, maybe I'll drop down to the 25 cents till hopefully I can grasp this multi table business

Multi table Players are playing their range of cards and position rather than their opponents.... unless the opponents are regs. and then an adjustment may be neccessary.

Yeah, like suggested above, play 2 tables and increase whenever you feel comfortable. But I don't recommend playing more than 4, then it can get a little crazy.

the lab man said:

Multi table Players are playing their range of cards and position rather than their opponents.... unless the opponents are regs. and then an adjustment may be neccessary.

Click to expand...

That seems too basic, you can't rely on just that

Seems like a cash or go bust strategy with strict ABC strategy with stats of 10/10 around there? I can't do that generally my stats are 20/18 and only gets bigger the later the game gets but I need to know how opponents play

Multi-tabling is definitely a skill and does take some practice. Also, tiling tables > stacking tables. If you stack, you are essentially relying on your HUD 100% for your decisions since you will miss seeing the vast majority of the action across all but the table that happens to be on top at the moment.

With tiling, and practice, you can at least pick-up on some stuff as it happens across the different tables. And, the amount of "stuff" you'll be able to notice while multi-tabling increases with practice. The downside is that you'll never be able to tile the number of tables that some of the crazy multi-tablers can play stacked.

Having said all that, no matter how good you get at it, you just will never be able to notice all the things that you can while single-tabling. So, it's definitely a trade-off. Higher volume, somewhat less win-rate per table.

Eclipsenz said:

That seems too basic, you can't rely on just that

Seems like a cash or go bust strategy with strict ABC strategy with stats of 10/10 around there? I can't do that generally my stats are 20/18 and only gets bigger the later the game gets but I need to know how opponents play

Click to expand...

Not even close. Again, you just have to learn how to keep notes, how to read stats etc. Yeah you lose out on more marginal spots but your ROI goes up so **** it.

My normal is four tables. I used to play six, but I had trouble when I had to concentrate on a tough decision on one of the tables and at times would time out or miss a blind on another table. I find four to be optimal

Eclipsenz said:

Sucks cause in order to make a decent profit, even at the chance of perhaps one day making a living off poker you have to multi table right?

Click to expand...

Not necessarily! If you were able to play high enough stakes, one table would be fine. Especially short-handed or HU.

Chances are though you'd naturally learn to do at least 2 or so nearly as effectively.

You could try something like I discuss on my blog: http://ieatfishies.blogspot.com/2012/10/multi-tabling.html

The suggestion is basically to have one table that you focus on, and a couple more on a network that pays rakeback according to the dealt model (i.e., Revolution network). You can even min-buy on those tables. And the idea is they're just kind of in the background, generating rakeback but not your primary focus.

I do think you can learn to play at least 2 or 3 tables near-optimally, though.

Ieatfish said:

I do think you can learn to play at least 2 or 3 tables near-optimally, though.

Click to expand...

Pretty hard to give that opinion considering it's a personal thing & it's going to be alot different from one player to another (ie. I have absolutely no clue how many tables you'd be able to multi-table & play your best on each of them... or even how many you'd be able to at some point in time (< say maybe at your peak in your poker playing lifetime).

As far as how are players able to multi-table. Some games are alot easier to multi-table than others (ie. STT-SNG, 45man Turbo SNG, 6max Hypers, & many others) & obviously others are more difficult (ie. HU PLO cash table).

I mostly play MTT's (but at different times I've focused on other games). These days I don't play very many at a time but mostly cuz I haven't been playing much at all lately. Still, 4 tourneys is real easy (any less & I get bored). Without using a HUD, I don't think I miss much on 4tables.
There's been other times where I've played 8-10 tables (MTT) regularly & felt I was playing close to optimally then as well. (I was playing more often then). Recently when I have been playing, I find I want to reg. in a bunch more than I probably should be... mostly because it feels weird only have 4 on the screen(s) & I feel like I'm missing out on games when I don't have more of them running. Need to build back up slowly though (tried firing up 8 mtt's a little while ago, with not the greatest success). I never 'time out' though, or feel stressed out timewise. Just feel like I'm missing a bit.

There was obviously a time for myself when one table was plenty enough. (one priv. freeroll running was enough).

Maybe a last word of advice: Don't be in a real hurry to add tables (talking from tournament perspective here). If you're just one-tabling (or two) for now, wait til' your game has advanced before you add on more to the equation.

Just add one table at a time as you become comfortable. You need to use a HUD and you need to accept that you're not going to pick up on everything. Your win-rate will go down but your hourly rate will go up and that's what is important.

I can play 10-12 tables of 6max fairly well and can go up to 16 if I drop down a level or two. I do think it's best to play 6-8 though. You find a balance. More tables to increase your hourly, less to improve your game and think through situations more. So I might play 4 if I move up and 10 if I'm feeling comfortable and want to rack up the hands. Find your comfort level by adding one at a time.

The easier poker formats (= sng´s or even mtt´s) are nice to multi table, but in cash games i would suck lol. The majority of hands you fold anyways, try it step by step, its really simple with some practise...

dakota-xx said:

It's definitely not for everyone. Try just moving to 2 tables for a while - then add 1 at a time as you get comfortable at each level.

Click to expand...

This.
Also a bigger monitor helps. I set my screen resolution as high as it will go.

Poker Orifice said:

Pretty hard to give that opinion considering it's a personal thing & it's going to be alot different from one player to another (ie. I have absolutely no clue how many tables you'd be able to multi-table & play your best on each of them... or even how many you'd be able to at some point in time (< say maybe at your peak in your poker playing lifetime).

Click to expand...

The opinion is that I think ~everybody can multi-table 2-3 tables relatively optimally (when they practice it and get used to it). Just like I could have the opinion that ~everyone can chew bubble gum and walk optimally. Maybe I'm wrong, but the point isn't that I'm guessing his max amount of tables. I'm just guessing that he can do exactly what I said.

it just takes practise. just sit on 2NL for a week or something and force yourself to play at least 9. youll get used to it pretty fast. as soon as you see the little red 'fold, check, bet' boxes, just go straight to them. table ninja helps a ton too by autosizing your bets

when ive chopped action with friends, i usually let them be the ones using the mouse so i have more time to focus. ive found that a big problem my friends have when doing this is that as soon as they hit a big hand or the pot gets big they stare at that table and dont look at the others, and i have to be like "hurry up and open that 68s on the button, were wasting our timebank".

generally, when you get in a big pot, its because you have a good hand. ITS NOT HARD TO PLAY GOOD HANDS. so stop watching that table, and move onto the other ones. you flop a set as the PFR, make your standard 2/3 PSB and move on to the next table.Oh you got checkraised on the flop? flops dry? cool, call down. flops wet? cool, get it in. pick your line based on your HUD for what you think it optimal and then just do it. its not like you arent going to realise that they checkraised you if you stop watching the table until the little red boxes come back up

this like the least amount of tables ill have up at any one time (i am playing six now while i write this). while checking out what i want to listen to in itunes, and almost always using FB chat or skype to the other CC cash guys (although im offline now cos the costant beeping annoys me ) at the same time- not to mention actively scanning the lobby for better games, checking the replayer and taking notes and colour coding villains. shorthanded cash is by no means the hardest game to multitable, but its definitley not the easiest. theres absolutely no reason why this should be unachievable to anyone.

Snort coke take aderal and drink a redbull that's how you ****ing multitable!!!!!

OK missing something here....What is Hud? I like to multitask sometimes but no more than 3 tables. Helps not to get too bored at one table and make a stupid call out of boredom,,,,,,,redbull lol yeah that guy with a screenfull has to be loaded up on something hahaha

starsmyle said:

OK missing something here....What is Hud? I like to multitask sometimes but no more than 3 tables. Helps not to get too bored at one table and make a stupid call out of boredom,,,,,,,redbull lol yeah that guy with a screenfull has to be loaded up on something hahaha

Click to expand...

HUD is like Holdem manger it gives stats of your oponants like raise% 3bet% how many hands played blah blah blah it's really helpful I'm just weird and dot like to play with a HUD just because it makes my screen messy and I have slight OCD. It's nice though that you can go over your hands played.

See all those random numbers on jchops screen shot that's a HUD or just google Holdem manager

Not for me also..Need to buy software and quit messing around. Lot of good info here.

As others have said above, just start with one and then add one more at a time when you're comfortable.

How do you know you're comfortable and maybe ready to add another table? I found a good sign was when I found myself replying to emails or reading websites between hands - I took that as a sign that I was comfortable with my current number of tables and I had the spare mental capacity to handle another one.